Cardinals Release Trevor Rosenthal

The Cardinals have granted right-hander Trevor Rosenthal his unconditional release, per MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (on Twitter). Rosenthal was eligible for arbitration this offseason but underwent Tommy John surgery this summer and is likely to miss the majority, if not all of the 2018 season as a result.

The 27-year-old Rosenthal went under the knife late in August, making it unlikely that he’ll be able to contribute next season. Even in the unlikely event that Rosenthal had made it back for the tail end of the 2018 season, MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $7.9MM salary, which would be far more than any club would be willing to pay given the amount of the season he’ll miss.

Rosenthal and agent Scott Boras will have to weigh multiple options this winter in free agency. When faced with a similar situation, Boras and client Greg Holland opted not to sign at all in the 2015-16 offseason, instead waiting until Holland was completely healed in the 2016-17 offseason and signing a one-year deal with a player option. That route certainly comes with more earning power, though all players have different preferences.

Alternatively, Rosenthal may well wish to find the security that someone like Nathan Eovaldi received last offseason, signing a one-year MLB deal with the Rays that contained a cheap club option for the 2018 campaign. While Eovaldi will “only” earn about $4MM over the 2017-18 seasons, he’s now had a full year to familiarize himself with his new organization and locked in some guaranteed money in the process.

Rosenthal could go either route, though the Holland route leaves him exposed to the possibility of lingering complications from his surgery ultimately preventing him from coming away from the ordeal with any guaranteed money. Regardless, interest in Rosenthal this winter should be robust, as teams look to buy low on the possibility of adding a high-caliber arm to their bullpen for the 2019 campaign once he has (hopefully) recovered from the ligament replacement procedure.

Kris Medlen got a 2/8.5M guarantee in a pretty similar situation, though Medlen was expected back before the end of the year.

I remember when the Cardinals signed Chris Carpenter in 2002 with the intent of watching over his rehab in 2003, giving him a team option for 2004. It seems players don’t sign into contractual rehabs anymore. Holland didn’t want to.

I think that Kris Medlen being a starting pitcher was more valuable than a reliever too……the fact that the Kris Medlen deal was a bust for the Royals may also hurt Trevor Rosenthal’s ability to garner a deal as well……

You are correct, Rosenthal has been a roller coaster of inconsistency most of the last 1.5 yrs……since he will not pitch before August ’18 at the earliest I cannot see anyone giving him a major league deal…..if he was a SP maybe, but not an inconsistent reliever who just had “Tommy John”2 months ago…..

Yankees could be a good call since Robertson only has one year left on his deal.. They have quite a bit of pitching talent in the minors that should be contributing at the MLB level by 2019 though.. I guess it would depend on his price tag because they want to get under the tax this year.. Adding a dead money contract even if it is just a few million probably won’t happen..

Yes, good luck Rosey. This past season, he was either mowing down hitters and making them look foolish, or he couldn’t hit a bull in the but with a bass fiddle, and come in the 8th or 9th and walk the bases full. There was no in between. Hopefully those issues will be resolved with the TJ surgery.

Doubtful, seeing as how TJS usually effects a pitchers control for a year or two afterwards.. Sometimes, they never seem to get the same “feel” for the ball as they had before the surgery. Max velocity is hurting too many careers..

40 man has a little to do with it. Cardinals are at 40 and want to get a couple others on the 40 so they do not have to expose them to the rule 5 draft next month. Cards will make a couple moves early.

I do not think that interest in Rosenthal will be that “robust” at all. He will most likely only be able to pitch in August of ’18 at the earliest and when he was recently healthy he wasn’t all that effective and had lost his closer’s job in the recent past………

Rosenthal’s situation is far different than that of Nathan Evoldi who was mostly effective when he was healthy before he underwent Tommy John……..

I think that Trevor Rosenthal, being only a reliever and not a starting pitcher, will end up sitting out ’18 and doing offseason tryouts for the 2019 season, ala Tim Lincecum…..